reader Posted March 19, 2020 Author Posted March 19, 2020 It now makes no difference of how low hotels and AirBNB's lower their rates. Excerpt from above link: "Since people cannot get tested for the virus in most places at the moment due to the high costs and shortages of test kits, the requirement is in effect a travel ban although the government stopped short of describing it as such. "The measure aims to minimise the number of arrivals as much as possible," said government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat." Tintinx 1 Quote
PeterRS Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 Surely it is more than ridiculous to make decisions based on reported statistics of those infected and those who have sadly died, however important these are. The key statistic has to be the number of those tested compared to total population. In the case of something like this virus, to assume that existing totals bear any reality to actual infections is fantasy. Mandating the testing of visitors before they can travel therefore seems to make a degree of sense. Hopefully most will not be infected between the date of the test and the date of travel. Quote
reader Posted March 20, 2020 Author Posted March 20, 2020 Since the test must be dated no more than 72 hours prior to departure, doubt there's much chance of it. And the logistics of having to get verified test results within that time frame makes the whole idea of booking an international ticket all but impossible unless you're prepared to pay the most expensive, last-minute fare. And try finding the required insurance policy showing minimum coverage for coronavirus of not less than US$100,000. The new rule is just another way of saying don't even think about coming. splinter1949, Tintinx and ggobkk 3 Quote
EricV Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 The latest policy makes it impossible to go, but at the same time you can't get a refund for air or hotel, because theoretically it's your decision not to go. Foreigners pay, Thai hotel owners get to keep the money... I bet Anutin is laughing all the way to the bank... screw the dirty farangs... Tintinx 1 Quote
DivineMadman Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 29 minutes ago, EricV said: The latest policy makes it impossible to go, but at the same time you can't get a refund for air or hotel, because theoretically it's your decision not to go. Foreigners pay, Thai hotel owners get to keep the money... I bet Anutin is laughing all the way to the bank... screw the dirty farangs... I suppose Anutin would be pleased that someone - anyone - gives him the credit for being that diabolically clever. Because the policy applies to Thais as well as foreigners, I don't think screwing the farang is a likely objective. CAAT Rules for Airlines vinapu 1 Quote
hank75 Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 Rather, I think this has proven Anutin’s stupidity and lack of understanding of healthcare systems in other countries. Pity the Thai students having to explain to overloaded NHS clinics they are not unwell, only requiring a fit-to-fly letter. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/returning-thais-face-being-turned-away-if-they-cant-show-fit-to-fly-health-certificate Boy69 1 Quote
Boy69 Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 Thailand actually closed their borders with this new policy. Strange that Thai citizens will need to provide fit to fly certificate which I think is almost impossible to obtain this days and they might be stuck out of their country. stupid not to allow your own citizens to return to their country at this global crisis. reader 1 Quote
spoon Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 No country that is badly affected by this virus will entertain health cert when all resources should be focused on the sick. So yeah, way to closed their borders without really closing borders. Boy69 and vinapu 2 Quote
anddy Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 is Thailand possibly the ONLY country in the whole world and having invented and requiring such corona-free certificate? Agree with Boy69, it is absurd to include Thais in such requirement. Even the countries that have completely shut their borders allow their own citizens back in, which should be glaringly obvious. Angain ONLY in Thailand... Boy69, splinter1949, reader and 1 other 4 Quote
reader Posted March 20, 2020 Author Posted March 20, 2020 Although returning Thais do not need Covid19 test results or proof of insurance, they face multiple hurdles as they try to re-enter their home nation. Most of the Thais who find themselves in this situation are frequently contract or day-to-day workers. Much of the remittances they generate end up with their families in the north and northeast of the country. The government should be welcoming them home. Yes, quarantine them for safety but do not punish them for being citizens who had to leave the country to find a decent job. anddy and Boy69 2 Quote
anddy Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 exactly. Makes no sense whatsoever. Naturally, the affected people are already protesting: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1882445/thais-abroad-protest-new-check-in-rule I guess it's a matter of time until the government performs another of its well-trained flip-flop vinapu 1 Quote
DivineMadman Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 39 minutes ago, anddy said: is Thailand possibly the ONLY country in the whole world and having invented and requiring such corona-free certificate? Agree with Boy69, it is absurd to include Thais in such requirement. Even the countries that have completely shut their borders allow their own citizens back in, which should be glaringly obvious. Angain ONLY in Thailand... except.... it's not only Thailand. Right now Austria requires a medical certificate for some classes of travelers, according to IATA. More importantly, until the recent - very recent - spate of countries closing their borders entirely, there were others. French Polynesia had it quite a while ago.. I think the medical certificate is inappropriate for Thai nationals and permanent residents. Beyond that, it is what it is - an effective ban, but if someone really wants to go to the expense to get the certificate and ignore all the advice about not traveling, then he/she can come in. That's how sausages are made. But it's not like Thailand invented the medical certificate. williewillie and anddy 2 Quote
reader Posted March 20, 2020 Author Posted March 20, 2020 From Bangkok Post Policies for Covid-19 face suspension Several insurance companies are poised to suspend sales of Covid-19 insurance products with a lump-sum payout as policy sales approach their threshold of 500,000-750,000. Some insurers have paused sales to revise protection conditions, including implementation of a 14-day waiting period, after coronavirus insurance products sold briskly, said Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, secretary-general of the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC). The popularity of the policies exceeded expectations, with sales soaring the past few weeks with the spike in the number of infections, he said. The OIC has approved 25 firms to sell coronavirus insurance, with 20 already launching products. As of March 18, more than 2 million Covid-19 insurance policies were taken out, with the most popular being a lump-sum payout for insured people diagnosed with the virus. The other type covers medical bills. The OIC will tighten its approval process for future launches of lump-sum payout products. "The honeymoon is over after we offered fast-track approval for Covid-19 insurance products in recent weeks," Mr Suthiphon said, adding that he expects the free insurance coverage to no longer be available. At the Thai General Insurance Association's meeting on Wednesday, participants expressed concerns about the insurance policyholders' moral hazard and insurers underestimating risks. The OIC is closely monitoring insurers and policyholders, Mr Suthiphon said, as coronavirus insurance could encourage policyholders with high sums insured to expose themselves to the virus hoping to make claims, with insurers rejecting their claims if that is the case. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1882540/policies-for-covid-19-face-suspension#cxrecs_s Quote
Boy69 Posted March 20, 2020 Posted March 20, 2020 7 hours ago, anddy said: exactly. Makes no sense whatsoever. Naturally, the affected people are already protesting: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1882445/thais-abroad-protest-new-check-in-rule I guess it's a matter of time until the government performs another of its well-trained flip-flop Not sure about flip-flop in the government policy they can be very stubborn. Logic and Thai thinking never went hand in hand... I can understand the restrictions on foreigners but not to aloud your own citizens to get back to their country on this major worldwide crisis unless they provide fit to fly certificate is really redicilous. Quote
TotallyOz Posted March 21, 2020 Posted March 21, 2020 IMHO, the borders need to be closed and this requirement was the way to do it without directly stating it. A good start. As for the Thais abroad, I don't get that either and it should not happen. I have many friends in Thailand who are considering moving back to USA now but the situation there is worse. Again, just me, but everyone that can needs to stay put and wait this out. No travel for fun. DivineMadman and williewillie 1 1 Quote
Guest Posted March 21, 2020 Posted March 21, 2020 China has 14 day quarantine for inbound travellers, including Chinese nationals. Now that seems like the right policy to me, as it will deter all low priority travel and almost eliminate the virus transmission risk. Whilst allowing people to travel if they have to. Incidentally, for all of January, the WHO was recommending no restrictions on international travel. Although they did recommend temperature screening in late January. The Chinese were shutting down Wuhan back in January. Had the WHO immediately recommended 14 day quarantine for all people leaving China, most of the world would have a much smaller problem and more time to respond with vaccines and so on. They are now belatedly recommending all sorts of restrictions all over the world. They could have imposed restrictions on perhaps 10,000 to 500,000 people per day instead of over a billion people as it will soon be. Quote
anddy Posted March 29, 2020 Posted March 29, 2020 The absurd requirement of a "fit-to-fly" medical certificate as well as a completely pointless "certification" from a Thai embassy or consulate (to certify what? That the Thai person carrying a Thai passport is actually Thai?) leads to this: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1888735/about-300-thais-stranded-in-malaysia I wonder what the medical certificate is supposed to say in this case, as "fit-to-fly" does not apply, as they are not flying. As it happens, Covid-free is NOT a requirement. So a corona-positive person not in hospital (thus obviously unable to travel at all) can still enter. So it's just COMPLETELY pointless paperwork just wor the sake of paperwork. Luckily, one Thai person has taken up the challenge and put it to the courts in Thailand: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1888315/fit-to-fly-order-challenged https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2020/03/27/government-sued-for-barring-thai-citizens-from-going-home/ I really hope for all the poor Thais struck by this absurdity that the court will show some sense and void those idiotic regulations. Fingers crossed. vinapu and reader 2 Quote
Guest Posted March 29, 2020 Posted March 29, 2020 Thailand and many other countries could do with some "fit to govern" certificates as a prerequisite to being allowed into government. If the majority of candidates put forward for election in all countries had to pass exams in relevant subjects, covering say economics, science & environmental, 200 years of history & business, it would be a very good start. Then add in something about decision making, including how to think through unintended consequences, recognise conflict of interest and so on. Quote
vinapu Posted March 29, 2020 Posted March 29, 2020 5 hours ago, z909 said: "fit to govern" certificates as a prerequisite to being allowed into government. in some countries it called election, it's us voters who are issuing those ill-obtained certificates Quote
gerefan Posted March 29, 2020 Posted March 29, 2020 Have you ever thought that the world is far too complex nowadays to be run by humans? It did ok for billions of years before we arrived to ruin it. Quote
vinapu Posted March 29, 2020 Posted March 29, 2020 4 hours ago, gerefan said: Have you ever thought that the world is far too complex nowadays to be run by humans? It did ok for billions of years before we arrived to ruin it. dinosaurs did not go good job either, all died before me arrived to vaccinate them reader and ggobkk 2 Quote
